Times and locations have yet to be announced, but there will be four candidate forums with the candidates for nomination for Virginia’s Ninth District seat in Congress. Save these dates so you can attend one or two of the forums:

Monday, January 15, Johnson City 12:30th a 1:30 celebration at Greater Love Church.

Monday, January 15, Bristol The Legacy Lives! Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration. Bristol TN/VA will hold a community-wide march and celebration on Monday, January 15 in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Legacy Lives will begin at 1:30 pm with gathering at the YMCA, Bristol TN or First Christian Church, Bristol VA. The groups will walk to the Bristol Trainstation, meeting under the sign for photos before entering the station. A program will begin at the Trainstation at 2:30 featuring video interviews, readings from Dr. King, and music. Refreshments will follow. Handicap and senior parking will be reserved in the Trainstation parking lot. Call the YWCA, 423-968-9444 or email bristolmlk@gmail.com for more info.

Monday, January 15 at 9:30am. MLK keynote speaker for Emory and Henry. E&H MCA Kennedy-Reedy Theater – other workshops and events follow on that day.

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Again, thank you to all who attended the reorganizational caucus! We have our membership and officers for the 2018-2019 term, as listed in an earlier post. Our committee remains small, and new membership interest is still welcome.

Many thanks to Anthony Flaccavento for coming to be with us at our last regular committee meeting. We had a good turnout and a lively discussion, and there is energy behind his campaign for U.S. House of Representatives, Virginia 9th District. Make a donation or volunteer here.

Congratulations to our new Virginia team, Ralph Northam, Justin Fairfax, and Mark Herring. They know that we expect great things! In addition, we elected many Democrats to the legislature this past November, which is hopeful news for Medicaid expansion in Virginia!. In May 2018 we will have an opportunity to elect local officials who will work on issues important to Bristol residents, and in November 2018 we will re-elect Tim Kaine to the U.S. Senate, and elect a Democrat to represent the Ninth District in the U.S. House of representatives.

Here are our events for January 2018:

Saturday January 6: Thank you to VA 9th CD Chair Deb Baum for this information. “We’re celebrating our 2017 election victories just before the events in Richmond on the 13th. Proceeds to support the election (and re-election) of Democrats in Virginia’s Fightin’ 9th CD.”

Monday, January 15: TN-VA Democratic Social at around 5:00 p.m. at the State Line Bar and Grille, 644 E. State St., Bristol, TN, 37620. This is an informal meeting of Democrats, Progressives, Liberals, and our political friends and cousins. Attendees order and pay for food and drinks individually, but the conversation is free.

Saturday, January 20: Breakfast with Democrats, at 9:00 a.m. at the Golden Corral, Exit 7 in Bristol, Virginia. Good food, great conversation, no agenda, guests welcome. Attendees pay separately for breakfast.

Thank you for your responses to the Calendar e-mail! Hope to see you at one of our events in January!

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Thank you to everyone who attended the 2017 Reorganization yesterday evening. We now have our membership for the 2018-2019 term. Our new Chair is Carl Williams, and Bernard Via is returning as Vice Chair. It is still possible to join the committee during the term by attending a regular meeting and submitting a membership form.

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Current members of the BVDC hope that local Democrats will attend the 2017 Reorganization and become members or renew their membership. We especially need new members at this time. If you are a voter in Bristol Virginia who wants to work with us, please come and take part in the Reorganization. It is at this local level that you can have the most effect in local, state, and national politics. New members will be eligible to be nominated as committee officers in January and to apply as delegates to state and national conventions where future nominees for office are elected.

Here is information on exactly what the Reorganization is and how it works:

What is the Reorganization?In local Democratic committees, the Reorganization Caucus, a mass meeting where old memberships are renewed and new members are accepted, happens every two years. New officers will be elected at the next regular committee meeting, in January of the new year, or if time is available and nominations are ready, at a called meeting immediately following the Reorganization Caucus.

What is special about this particular Reorganization? The new and continuing members and officers elected will serve during 2018-2019, will be on board for the presidential election year activities, and will be able to apply to represent the committee at the state and national conventions.

What if I am not a Democrat? You do not have to be (or become) a member of the BVDC or any Democratic Committee to be a Democrat. In Virginia, it is impossible for you to be a registered Democrat, because voter registration is not by party affiliation. We understand you to be a Democrat if you believe as we do in human rights, economic justice, equality under the law, education, health insurance and health care, gender equality, conservation and environmental issues, and several other important issues related to how government is supposed to work for people. As the BVDC, we represent at local, regional, state, and federal all people who share our perspective in these issues who reside in our city. You don’t have to agree with us on everything, and we sometimes have lively discussions among ourselves on the issues. However, as a group, we have respect for people, data, science, history, and government that works for people. You are welcome to join, or just to visit, contribute, and work with us for these important shared goals.

When is the Reorganization?It will be at the Bristol Virginia Courthouse, 497 Cumberland St., Bristol, Virginia. The location is ADA accessible. Registration begins at 6:00 p.m. Doors will close at 6:30 p.m., but all persons standing in line to register at 6:30 will be admitted for registration.

What will happen at the Reorganization? Democrats residing in Bristol Virginia will come to the meeting, fill out a registration form, introduce themselves, and be voted in as members of the BVDC. After members are elected, the agenda for the January meeting will be distributed and the Reorganization Caucus will be adjourned. You can download the Caucus Temporary Rules and Agendas. The rules and agendas are temporary, and may be amended at the caucus by the newly-elected members before becoming the permanent Rules and Agendas.

Who is invited to the Reorganization? All Democrats who registered to vote in Bristol Virginia are invited and encouraged to attend. (You can register to vote at City Hall, 300 Lee St, Bristol Virginia. Go in the front door and turn left, and you will see the window of General Registrar Penny Limburg’s office. Go to the window, and someone will assist you with voter registration.)

What does the BVDC do?We have regular monthly business meetings, at which voting members are expected to attend. We also have a monthly social at the State Line Bar and Grill on State Street,attended by Democrats from Tennessee and surrounding Virginia locations along with BVDC members and friends. We have a monthly breakfast at the Golden Corral in Bristol, where guests and visiting speakers are invited. We open a local headquarters during presidential election years, make phone calls to voters, distribute literature, set up a booth at Border Bash, participate in Ninth Congressional District, State, and national party events and initiatives, and work together to keep up with the issues, find people who are interested in running for elected office, and help Democrats get elected to office.

How can I find out more about the BVDC?Visit our Facebook page (“Bristol Virginia Democratic Committee”), or attend Reorganization or any announced meeting, social, or breakfast, using dates available on our Calendar. You can place your name on our e-mail newsletter distribution by sending a request to bvdccalendar@gmail.com.

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The Bristol Virginia Democratic Committee invites Democrats registered to vote in Bristol Virginia to a Caucus for Reorganization on December 11th, 2017, at 6:00 p.m. at the Bristol Virginia Courthouse. Details here. New and returning members will be elected to the committee for membership during the period from January 2018 through December 2019.

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The election pretty much erased all other matters from my mind, so I am sending the reminder early this month. First the election, then the reorganization, then the meeting dates in November:

The Election

Thank you to everyone who helped facilitating the election and supporting candidates! My appreciation of folks who give their time on Election Day grows each time I observe this process. I saw many of you at the polls as candidates, Officers of Election, staff workers, campaign volunteers, and voters. Many thanks to all who participated.

Congratulations to our state and local Democrats for strong campaigns and significant wins. We are returning a powerful team of caring and talented leaders to Richmond, along with a group of Delegates who will stand up for people. This election gives hope to Virginians on many issues, including among others health care, clean air and water, changing technology, adequate income from work, education of children and young adults, training for employment, fair representation in redistricting in 2021, continued advance of diversity and recognition and inclusion, and healing of divisions. Here locally we elected an experienced and capable person to the Commissioner of Revenue office.

Ralph S. Northam was elected Governor of Virginia.

Justin E. Fairfax was elected Lieutenant Governor of Virginia.

Mark R. Herring was re-elected Attorney General of Virginia.

Cloe Eva Barker was elected Bristol Virginia Commissioner of Revenue

Joe R. Mink lost his bid for Bristol Virginia Sheriff. A campaign loss is always disappointing, but we look forward to working with Joe in the future. We appreciate Joe’s willingness to serve and his courage in placing himself on the ballot.

We have much to be thankful for this holiday season, and we look forward to local elections in May for 3 Council seats and 3 School Board seats.

Reorganization

As we previewed in September, the Bristol Virginia Democratic Committee has a reorganizational meeting every two years in odd-numbered years, so we will be doing reorganization at our December meeting in 2017. The November meeting will include planning for reorganization, so we need all voting members to be present.

At reorganization we will elect new members and new officers in the committee. Our committee sends delegates to the regional, state, and national conventions and events, meets for social events and a monthly business meeting, organizes special events, hosts visiting candidates for state offices, and supports Democrats for local offices. We also cooperate with other local and regional organizations in support of candidates and issues. All Bristol Virginia voters who would like to work with us to nominate and elect Democrats are encouraged to attend and apply for membership. Reply to this e-mail if you have questions.

Meeting Dates:

Monday, November 13: BVDC Committee Meeting at 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., at the Bristol Virginia Courthouse, 497 Cumberland St., in Bristol, VA. This is an important planning meeting, and we will need voting members to be present.

Saturday, November 18: Breakfast with Democrats, at 9:00 a.m. at the Golden Corral, Exit 7 in Bristol, Virginia. No agenda, guests welcome. Attendees order and pay separately.

Monday, November 20: TN-VA Democratic Social at around 5:00 p.m. at the State Line Bar and Grille, 644 E. State St., Bristol, TN, 37620. An informal meeting of Democrats, Progressives, Liberals. Attendees order and pay for food and drinks individually.